How to make a glasses case - for beginners
Here is another free and easy tutorial from Sew Retro, a beginners step-by-step guide to show you how to make a sunglasses or reading glasses case of your own.
You will need:
20 cm x 25 cm of cotton fabric (I am using the left over fabric from the tote bag).
20 cm x 25 cm of fleece fabric
x1 button
Matching thread, pins, tape measure, safety pin, and scissors.
Quick tips for beginners
Pinning the fabric for sewing; Place the two pieces of fabric together, with right sides facing (the correct side of the fabric) and pin the raw edges together.
1cm seam allowance; this is the distance between the edge of the fabric and the stitch line. You will find a series of parallel lines engraved on the needle plate of your sewing machine pick the one marked with the measurement you need and keep the edge of the fabric to this guide.
1. Cut out your materials according to the diagram.
2. Make a rouleau loop.
Fold the small piece of fabric in half lengthways with right sides together.
Sew it together, using a 1cm seam allowance.
Sew a few stitches forward hold down the reverse button or leaver, reverse stitch for a few stitches, Sew to the end of the pined seam, using the reverse button or leaver, make a few stitch back to secure the seam. At the beginning and end of every seam you sew you will need to repeat this process. This stops the stitching unravelling.
Cut half a cm from the seam allowance.
Leave a long thread.
Attach the long thread to a small safety pin the drop the safety pin into the channel you have just sewn, Gently ease the top of the loop inside, pulling on the thread to tease the fabric right side out.
3. Iron the rouleau loop, and fold in half as shown. Pin the folded loop to the middle of fabric, on the right side of the fabric, in the centre, see image.
Check that you button will fit through (a snug fit is best as the loop may stretch with use)
4. Machine over the ends of the rouleau loop securing it into the correct position. Cut any excess fabric on the rouleau loop.
5. Pin the right side of your main fabric to the right side of your lining fabric on the seam with the rouleau loop, repeat on the remaining fabric pining the short seam.
6. Sew across the seam you have just pinned.....
7. Press the seams open. With right sides together place and pin around the case leave a 5cm opening. Using a 1cm seam allowance, sew around the case leaving the opening.
Clip the corners.
8.Turn the case inside out so you are now looking at the right side of the case, tuck in a 1 cm seam, where you have the opening and with matching tread, sew close to the edge to close the hole.
9. Push the lining into the case. Sew on the Button.
10. Thread your needle, and tie the two ends together in a knot. Stitch up from inside the glasses case and do a couple of little stitches on the spot to secure the thread. Thread the button on to the needle and start stitching through the buttonholes. If it is a two-hole button then just keep coming up through one hole and down through the next. If it is a four-hole button, then make sure you replicate the stitching in the rest of the buttons either with two parallel stitches or two diagonal stitches creating a cross. Stitch through each hole about four or five times. Once you have finished the last stitch, come up underneath the button and wrap the thread around the stitching underneath the button a few times this will protect the stitches and help hold the button in place. Then take the thread back down to the inside of the glasses case and do a couple of secure stitches.
Congratulations you have made your first glasses case!
Tag us on Instagram or Twitter to show us your designs, we'd love to see how you got on.
Interested in more sewing projects for beginners? Follow the tutorials on our blog or come along to our regular sewing classes to meet others and expand your skills.
x